Bendis sort of addresses the X-Men rumour in a post on his message board, pretty much dismisses it and boasts that what he is working on after AVX is so much more than that. I suspect they're waiting for the next big con to reveal just exactly what he is working on. Axel Alonso also stated a few weeks back, or maybe it was Breevort, that they already have the next Avengers writer in place. I'm guessing we'll find out both these things in the summer time.

Jonathan Hickman is concluding his epic Fantastic Four run at the end of the year, we of course already knew about Bendis leaving Avengers...I really hope someone equally as good as Hickman (don't know who that would be at Marvel) takes over on Fantastic Four.

Just finished reading Avengers #23 and New Avengers # 22. While I might be the only one actually enjoying the Hammer War arc, I still feel like this should have been the end point of Dark Reign instead of Siege. Norman has once again been able to use the media and manipulate the public's (for all the Avengers have ever done for the people, you'd think they'd be more smarter than this) perception of the Avengers and turn them into a mob. He has also managed to get the United States government (Obama has really been written in a bad light in this lol) to negotiate with terrorists (Hammer, AIM, Hydra, etc) and essentially bow to their demands so far. Same old Bendis stuff. I don't know why I continue with this. Peter is essentially useless comedic fodder in both books. You'd think that since we're dealing with Peter's greatest villain, that wow, he'd have a more important role instead of Bendis giving lame one liners and making him seem like a moron. Also Luke allows his personal feelings to compromise his leadership of the New Avengers too much.

Yeah I'll be really disappointed if he leaves, but he has had a pretty long run. I think he started two or three years ago? The more recent FF creative team runs haven't been long. I wonder what other changes Marvel has in store. SDCC has the potential to be really huge for announcements concerning Marvel's post AVX plans.

Venom #13.4 - Another good issue. It was good to see plenty of Alejandra in human form since she's been as GR so much the last few issues. Her inexperience showing still but finally perhaps some growth and understanding about that which she and the GR are about. I liked seeing Zarathos as a free demon searching out a host. Venom and Hulk had little for most of the issue again as did X-23. Venom had a few good lines but made it clear he's going to be a big player in the finale. So how again is a Zarathos bonding to Venom work again? Flash essentially has two parasites grafted/joined to him. That's got to leave some scars eventually.

Moon Knight #10 - When Bendis really f's it up he f's it up in style. Too bad someone who didn't understand how to use MK couldn't be assigned to 'save' the book or start this volume.

Remender is definitely putting Flash through the ringer in this arc, one of the points of it though IMO was exactly that. I'm just tossing out a guess here (haven't read it yet) , but I'm assuming that Zatharos was attracted to the darkness that the symbiont exhibits. Flash after all is just the host and it feeds off a person's negative emotions...thus resulting in them becoming corrupt if they're a good person. I'm guessing that after the conclusion of this arc Flash will return to base and they'll continue to deal with his personal problems. @Captain Craig...I'm curious...will you continue with the book after the Circle of Four arc is concluded? Or are you just reading it due to it being a heavy GR arc?

That sounds like as logical a reason for Zarathos to bond to Flash as any. The visual was cool, apparently the merger of all 3 makes him so big Alejandra was riding on his left shoulder in that last splash panel.

I'm not likely to keep reading Venom after Circle of Four after this arc concludes. The heavy GR crossover story was my reason for reading it. I mean as we concluded it's a GR story anyway with the others in a more supporting role really. I do like Remender, I'm planning to get his Punisher runs when the Omnibus comes out in April. I'm just not sold on Flash as Venom in this military set-up.

My Top Ten Marvel Comics:
1. Avengers: I still feel this is the preeminent Marvel title. The Hammer story feels a little padded, though.
2. New Avengers: ditto.
3. Amazing Spider-Man: I really love the big stories like Spider Island.
4. Fantastic Four: Hickman's run has been really fascinating with a huge finale. Too bad they can't get a decent artist.
5. Avengers Academy: I started off really not caring about this book, but starting with Fear Itself I came to enjoy the characters, and I really like the new larger class setting.
6. Wolverine and the X-Men: I like the whismical tone, the X books are too gloomy lately. great art too!
7. Iron Man: Fraction's run has always been entertaining
8. Thunderbolts: I really loved this pre-Fear Itself, but the art remains stellar. I'm sick of the time travel, though.
9. Incredible Hulk: mainly for the art!
10. The Ultimates: Hickman is doing interesting stuff with the Ultiverse.

I probably wouldn't still be picking up FF if it weren't for Val and the Power Pack!! Ahhh Hickman you glorious bastard you! I should mention in a recent interview he stated that Spider-Man's future (no pun intended) status with the Fantastic Four will be addressed in FF #17. Peter was always meant to be just a temporary member (even though he's essentially an honorary family member). I kind of am expecting Hickman to have Peter pull a Batman and tell Reed and Sue that they can count on him whenever they really need him.

1. Avengers Academy- I've been a fan from the first issue and it just keeps getting better.

2. Journey Into Mystery- A book that I didn't expect to like at all but is now one of my favorites.

3/4. Fantastic Four and FF- It's a shame to hear that Hickman is leaving, but his original plans had him leaving much sooner, and without a spin-off book, so I will just enjoy the rest of his run and be glad for it. I will decide about the future of the book when I know who is taking over.

5. Daredevil- Mark Waid's take on the character has brought me back to a character that I haven't really cared about for years.

6. Winter Soldier- Pre-Fear Itself,Captain America would be on this list. I'm not as fond of the new volume of Cap as I was of the old, but Winter Soldier is essentially the continuation of the old Cap run, so here it is.

7. Generation Hope- I know that there is only one more issue left-- that's why it's not higher on the list-- but I've really loved this book and the characters and will be sorry to see it gone.

8/9.- Avengers/New Avengers- for pretty much the same reasons as Mr. Light. Even agreed about the HAMMER war. It feels like it could have been told in four issues of the two books instead of six.

10.- Uncanny X-Men- I know that some here consider it "boring", but I couldn't disagree more. In the first arc, I enjoyed Mr. Sinister as a villain for the first time since... well, ever. The Tabula Rasa arc has been great for the most part. I love the whole concept of having a Savage Land in reverse right in the middle of Montana. Although, this was a three issue arc that got expanded into four, and it does show in the pacing.

I loved the Sinister arc...The Tabula Rasa arc is somewhat interesting but the book is boring and dark, reflecting Scott Summers who has become that. I've long stated that I like the direction that Scott is going and the leader he has evolved into, but he is on a very dangerous path right now. Magneto has a great line in the preview of "Avengers Vs X-Men #1" where he tells Scott that he is starting to sound like him. That promo image from last year of Scott wearing Erik's costume and carrying his helmet has become more and more truer. The line is being blurred from his decisions and he is becoming too single minded and blind about protecting mutantkind to the point where he isn't thinking about the consequences of his actions. Extinction team indeed. Jean would be repulsed with the man he has become I think.

I really don't like what they've done with Cyclops ever since Grant Morrison. I know they made jokes about him being uptight before that, but they've made him into a total dick since then. That's why "Wolverine and the X-Men" is so refreshing, it's not so relentlessly hopeless like the X-titles have been the past decade.

I would't say Scott was a total dick...he's just shut everyone out really (including Emma) and surrounded himself with some interesting people for advice. This Scott actually reminds me a little bit of the Wolverine and the X-Men animated series Scott.

A more important subject than Scott Summers...what is Marvel planning post Avengers Vs X-Men?